1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tuning devices for musical instruments, and, more particularly, to an improved, universal, multi-position, tuning mechanism and bridge for stringed musical instruments.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, guitars are a popular form of musical expression in the United States and worldwide. The majority of guitars utilize a single tuning configuration, allowing only one setting of tuned strings per instrument. This tuning must be provided for each string before a song can be played in tune via string manipulation.
Many artists who perform with stringed instruments, such as guitars, wish to be able to change tuning occasionally. This is desired to change the sound that the strings make, and, consequently, the sound that the instrument can create. Artistic expression of the artist is, therefore, limited, if the musician cannot change the tuning configuration of the strings of a guitar quickly and efficiently.
Changing the tension of guitar strings manually can be a time-consuming process. It takes time to tune all the strings to be "on note" or "on key." Performing this task between songs, as during a concert performance, is difficult if not impossible to accomplish. Changing the tuning of a guitar during a song with traditional tuning means is all but impossible, especially given the sophistication of today's live audiences, who can sense an out of tune string on a guitar.
Devices in the previous art, therefore, were designed to replace the traditional stop piece on guitars that incorporate separate stop piece/bridge configurations and permit the quick and accurate adjustment of string tension of a stringed instrument, thus providing the musician with more flexibility to facilitate artistic expression and creativity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,902, issued in the name of Baker, discloses a multi-tuner for stringed musical instruments wherein an adjustable cam mechanism allows the user to select different predefined string tensions for all of the strings by rotating the cam.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,917, issued in the name of Zitnik, Jr. et al., discloses a multiple lever tone changer for guitars wherein individual levers are provided to allow the musician to create a vibrato effect, either on single strings or on the entire set of strings.
Two patents disclose bridge assemblies for guitars that incorporate adjustable intonation means: U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,031, issued in the name of Fender and U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,353, issued in the name of Juszkiewicz et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,524, issued in the name of Jones, discloses an adjustable bridge assembly for guitars wherein individual string saddles replace the nut and bridge, allowing for intonation adjustment from both ends of the string.
Several patents disclose bridge assemblies for guitars that incorporate adjustment means for changing individual string tension, intonation and saddle height: U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,613, issued in the name of Steinberger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,461, issued in the name of Stroh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,512, issued in the name of Kubicki et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,143, issued in the name of Rose.
Several patents disclose automatic string tension adjusting means for stringed instruments that maintains a predefined tone for each string by electronically monitoring the string tone and adjusting it via an electric motor. These include U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,027, issued in the name of Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,563, issued in the name of Murata et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,797, issued in the name of Zacaroli. Such devices, however, are expensive and complicated, and as such are prone to electronic component failure with repeated use.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention.
Of considerable relevance is U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,330, issued in the name of Borisoff. The '330 patent discloses a multi-tuner for stringed musical instruments wherein an adjustable lever mechanism allows the user to select, on a per string basis, from three different predefined string tensions.
There are several problems with the '330 device, however. First, the '330 device is designed to use the mounting mechanism on Fender.TM. guitars. Since the '330 device is designed to function only with a Fender.TM. type guitar configuration, it is not designed to be used with the vast majority of stringed instruments. Second, the '330 configuration is complex. Third, the '330 device connects to the guitar face behind the bridge, therefore, taking up additional space on the face of the guitar face and, consequently, limiting the location where the device can be positioned on the guitar. This limitation on placement location further limits the '330's applicability to non-Fender.TM. type guitars.
While the general concept of the per string, multi-position tuning feature is incorporated into this invention in combination, other elements are different enough as to make the combination distinguished over the inventors' own prior art. Consequently, a need has therefore been felt for an improved but less complex mechanism that provides per string multi-position tuning capabilities for stringed musical instruments.